The 2024 National Day for Cultural Heritage will grandly kick off on September 21 at the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab, organized by the Ministry of Culture under the theme “Routes, Networks, and Connections.” This event involves collaboration with the local governments of all 22 counties and cities in Taiwan, with the National Cultural Heritage Action Expo taking place at the historic Air Force Command Headquarters in Taipei. Taichung City, renowned for its cultural identity, will participate in this celebration with a series of events titled “Walking Rhetoric: Everyday Practices of Cultural Heritage,” highlighting its achievements in preserving, restoring, and revitalizing cultural heritage. It aims to align cultural heritage with contemporary needs and integrate it into everyday life, thereby sustaining the dynamic essence of history.
The National Cultural Heritage Action Expo this year was officially opened by Minister of Culture Li Yuan and Director General Chen Chi-Min of the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, with Taichung City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Chen Chia-Chun and other Cultural Affairs Bureau directors of various counties and cities in attendance. They enjoyed a captivating performance from the collaborative effort between Kaleidoscope Theater (KSTR) and the Taiwan Adlib Band, which marked the start of the 2024 National Day for Cultural Heritage. During the expo, the Taichung City Government organized interactive cultural pathway games and a sound walking installation to creatively engage the public with the city’s achievements in restoring cultural heritage. The event saw active participation in a cheerful atmosphere, naturally blending and utilizing cultural heritage in daily life.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that while the Action Expo has successfully wrapped up, the events for Taichung’s Heritage Day will keep the excitement going until the end of October with the “X Heritage Day” series. The public is invited to engage their five senses—hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and smelling—to fully appreciate the diverse aspects of cultural heritage. September’s lineup features the “Roaring Era Music Time” performances every Saturday, a workshop on crafting lacquer chopsticks on the 21st, and a cultural walking tour of the heritage sites about Taichung’s tobacco industry on the 29th.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau added that more activities will be available in October, including DIY workshops for lacquerware and soft rush on the 5th and 12th. On the 5th, there will also be the Qingshui Zhongshe Heritage Site Exploration - Family Archaeological Trip, while the 12th will feature a walking tour of the Yang Family Residence in Qingshui Shekou and a themed event titled “What Should Come Will Come! Unveiling the Adventure of the Huilai Archaeological Site.” Additionally, the Taiwan Prefecture Confucian Examination Hall and Graphic Matters Lab will host guided tours for Heritage Day on October 6th and 13th, a retro film workshop and a walking tour of the old city on the 19th, and the “Heritage Unveiling x Sound Walk” on the 26th. The public is warmly invited to a diverse array of events.
For more information on the events, please visit Taichung’s Cultural Heritage Department website (http://www.tchac.taichung.gov.tw/) or the Taichung Heritage Day Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/taichung.heritage.day).